Hen and Chickens Theatre, Fringe theatre in Highbury, England
The Hen and Chickens Theatre is a black box performance space housing roughly 50 seats arranged on a sloped floor above a Victorian pub in North London. The intimate room sits directly atop the busy pub, which serves drinks and food throughout the day.
The space was created as a performance venue above an existing pub, then underwent a management restructuring in 1999 under new artistic direction. This shift marked the beginning of its development into a stable home for experimental theatre in London.
The programming here reflects London's experimental theatre scene, featuring new works, established plays, comedy acts, and pieces being developed for festival seasons. After performances, the boundary between stage and audience space blurs when performers come downstairs to mingle with visitors in the pub.
The venue sits within walking distance of Highbury & Islington station for straightforward access. Visitors should know that stairs lead to the upper performance space and the room is quite compact, shaping how the experience feels.
The space features an unusually tight relationship between stage and audience, with performers and viewers separated by just a few feet. This close proximity creates an intensity between performer and spectator that shapes how every show unfolds.
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